The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 100

other instances where this verb occnre in the he.s given in times past. So Delitzsch. But pilel form, khrbbele. Esteem and hononr, the Gejerus gives them the combined force of confldence of others, elevation to offices of the past e.nd future, "I have taught anrl I trust and consequence, are some of the re- will more fully teach," and so with the other wards with which Wisdom repays those who verb. The Vulge.te renders, monstrabo, " I esteem and love her. Others follow in the will show,'' and ducam, "I will lead." In the next verse. way of wisdom (b'dl'rek kMk'mah) may Ver. 9.-An orne.ment of graoe (liv'yath mean "in the way that leads lo, or by which khen). (On this, see eh. i. 9.) A orown you come to Wisdom; I have taught you the of glory shall she deliver to thee; or, as manner in which Wisdom may be attained ; " margin, she shall compas8 thee with a cr01Dn or "the way in which Wisdom walks" of glnry. Deliver. The verb miggen, piel, (Zockler). The ways of Wisdom are described since the kal, magiin, is not used. is, however, in eh. iii. 17 as "ways of pleasantness." properly, "to give, or deliver," as in Gen. The next clause seems to indicate that the xiv. 20 ; Hos. xi. 8. That this is the latter explanation is to be preferred. The :;,. meaning is clear from the corresponding (b') indicates the subject in which instruc~ "she shall give" (titten, but cf. nathiin, tion has been given. In right pu.ths (b'mo.'- "to give"). It is commonly found with g'le y6sMr); literally,in the paths of rectitude; an accusative and dative, but here takes i.e. of straightness, paths of which the two accusatives. Both the LXX. and the characteristio is uprightness. (On "paths," Vulgate render, "With R crown of glory as signifying a carriage-way, see eh. ii. 9.) or delights shall she protect ( inr,paa"1ritT71, Instruction and direction have formed the proteget) thee ; " as if it were connected with two elements in the father's tee.chin g. These magen, "a shield," but a crown is not usually present us with a model of education. "To associated with protection or defence. "A teach duty without truth is to teach practice crown of glory," in the New Testament, is without motive; to teach truth without duty always associated with the everlasting is to teach motive without the practice to honours of heaven, as in Heb. ii. 9; 2 Tim. which it should lead" (Wardlaw). iv. 8; 1 Pet. iv. 4; Rev. ii. 20. The mean- Ver. 12.-In this verse the father depict~ ing is here, "Wisdom shall confer on thee the benefits and adve.ntages which shall true dignity." follow from •• receiving his words" (ver. 10), Ver.10.-Manycommentators, e.g. Jerome, i.e. from attending to his counsels and im- Bede, Ewald, Bertheu.u, u.nd Hitzig, suppose bibing the principles of wisdom. The that the father's instruction closes in the pre- whole coUl'Se of life shall he freed from ceding verse, but it seems more u.ppropriate obstacles or impediments, from anxiety, to consider the father e.s here passing to perplexity, or difficulty, or from vacillation. another branch of bis instruction, which is to When ihou goeat may refer to the daily point out the way of wisdom, and so to pre- walk, to the common e.nd ordinary events or pare for his warnings which follow from oircumste.nces incidental to life, just e.s the ver.14 to ver. 19. Receive ; kiikh, from lakiih, corresponding when thou run.nest may "to receive" (on the force of this verb, see eh. refer to cases of emergency when promptness i. 3). He who shows a delight or willingness and decisive action are called for. In both in admitting the words of Wisdom-for snch cases Wisdom, by inspiring unity of principle, a character the father c!e.ims for his teaching, gives freedom of movement; in ordinary co.ses o.s we see from the next verse--she.11 receive it removes embe.rru.ssment and perplexity a blessing. It is a sign of graoe when any arising from conflioting interests dru. wing even show themselves open to listen to in- now in one direction, now in another, und in struction ; but it is a greo.ter sign when this extra.ordinary cases it supplies a rule of con- instruotion is received with readiness o.nd duct whioh prevents our falling into mistakes pleasure (Muffet). The yeara of thy life and errors. Or the verso may refer to the (Ah'n6thkhiiyyim); literally, years of thy lives. prosperity which she.II attend all the under- The plure.l "lives" expresses the idea. of life takings of those who are in Wisdom's wuys, in the abstract. There is no absolute state- whether they advance slowly or rush for- ment of a future life here, though by the ward with the impetuosity of youth, whether Christian this idea me.y he indulged in on they act with deliberation or with ho.ste. the ground of a fuller revelation. Tbe pro- Shall not be atre.itened (l6-yetsiir); i.e. shall mise is one the.t not only implies the pro- not be narrowed or confined; Vulgo.te, non longation of life, but elso o. life of prosperity arctabuntur; LXX., o~ tTu-ytc>..,.,,-9-f,tTna,. and enjoyment. Shall be many; literally, The future yetsar only ocours four times in ahall be mu,ltiplied. the Scriptures-here, and Job xviii. 7 ; :xx. Ver. 11.-The perfeots, I have taught and 22; Isa. xlix. 19. It is usuully derived from I have led, in the originel seem to have the root yatsiir, which, however, is not found, here the o.bsolute signification of the po.et. cognate with taur, "to stre.iten," "to be nar- The father recalls the instruction which he row." Yets,ir, howo'\'er, l\lwo.y~ occurs in the 88 THE PROVERBS. [arr. xv. 1-27.